Counting device for computing-machines.



J. E. W. GREVE. COUNTING DEVICE FOR COMPUTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.8,1914.

1,1 28,972. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. E. W. GREVE.

COUNTING DEVICE FOR COMPUTING MACHINES:

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1914.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

" "ingmecha'nismout of'engagement with the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ENIIL WILLIAM GREVE, OF CHEMNITZ, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO WERKE, VORMALS WINKLHOFER & JAENICKE, A. G., OF SCHfiNAUfNEAR CHEMNITZ,

GERMANY.

COUNTING DEVICE FOR COMPUTING-MACHINES.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16', 1915.

Application filed December 8, 1914. Serial No. 876,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN 'EMIL WILLIAM Gan'vn, subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany,

have i'nvented certain new and useful Improvements in- Counting Mechanism for Computing-Machines, of which the following'is specification.

This invention relates to'shiftable count- "ing mechanisms for computing machines,

and has particular reference to a counting mechanism which, in it's normal state is in I constant engagement with the setting-gears,

By the prothat in certain'constructions it is'with great 1 difiifculty that a connection is made with the shifting means.

In order to avoid thesedifliculties, it is the object of this invention to carry the countsetting devices before the shift or transfer takesplace.

-T'hesubj ect matter of this invention has "an'adv'antage overprior arrangements of a similar character, in which rotary'devices forshiftable counting mechanisms are used,

and which consist of drive gears located on a common axis and cause the shifting of the counting mechanism'by an axial movement of said drive-gears and their axis, in that the action of bringing the several drive-gears into and out of connection before the shift' from addition'to subtraction or vice versa is brought about through a reciprocation in radial direction.

In the drawings, which disclose one form of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shiftable counting mechanism, together with the controlling elements and the setting devices, the counting mechanism being set in the adding position, and Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the position of the counting mechanism out of engagement with the setting devices and ready for the shifting action.

For a clear understanding of the invention, the construction of the counting mechanism and its control elements and setting devices should be briefly explained.

Upon the shaft 1 is mounted a counting mechanism carrying frame 2 for oscillatory movement, and supports by means of pins 8 the housing or frame 5 of the countingwheels 4. The frame or housing 5 is provided with a lever-like projection 6, upon which is swung a locking element pr latch 8, as by means of a screw or pin 7, said catch 8 having transversely extending pins 9 and 10 provided on its face. Said latch or locking element 8 has its lower end pivotally connected to one end of a link "13, whose opposite end is connected to a two armed lever 14, 15, which is carried on a; shaft 16: The lower end 15 of said lever 14, 15-is suitably connected by means of a rod 17,w-ith the lever (not shown) for effecting the shifting and setting of the counting mechanism into adding and subtracting positions. In the one position -(adding position) the pin 10 of the latch 8 rests in the left-hand recess.

11 (Fig. 2) formed in the carrier-frame 2, while in the other or subtracting position, the pin 9 engages the right-hand recess 12 also formed in said carrier frame. Upon a transversely shiftable axis or shaft 18 of the counting mechanism carrier frame is mounted-a two-armed lever 19, which is provided with a pin 20 projecting from its' face toward the carrier frame 2. By a transverse sliding movement of the shaft 18, the

pin 20 is carried into engagement with a bore or aperture in said frame 2', and is thereby coupled to the latter. Said "lever 19 carries two anti-friction" rollers 23 and 24, which are journaled on opposite sides of the lever 19 on pins'21- and-22 respectively. The roller 23 cooperates with the concentric control-segment 26. Said control segment 26 is actuated by means of the gear segments 29 and 30 which intermesh and are mounted respectively on the shafts l6 and 25, and the roller 23 is maintained in engagement with the concentric edge or periphery of said segment 26by means of a spring 31, which is connected between a fixed point 32 on' themachine frame and the carrier frame2' in such relation as to exert a downward pull on the latter. When the parts are in this relation, the counting mechanism is not carried out of engagement with the setting-gears 33. When, however, the lever 19 is carried transversely of the machine, by means of the axial sliding of the shaft 18, then the roller 23 is moved away from contact with the periphery of the segment 26; and the opposite roller 24 comes into engagement with the periphery of the control segment 27. The segment 27 is provided on its periphery with an elevated cam-element 28, by means of which the lever l9 and the thereto coupled countdrawings) of the control segment according to the requirement of the kind of computation then being made.

Mounted on a fixed part of the machine,

segment 34, which is so 3 is a guide block or arranged below the latch 8 and the carrier frame 2 that it acts to press upwardly the frame 2 during the shift from addition to subtraction position, and so carries the counting mechanism out of engagement with the setting-gears 33.

he operation of the mechanism is as follows :-If, for example, it is desired to move the housing or frame 5 from the adding position of Fig. 1 into the subtracting position, then the shift-lever -(not shown) is thrown into subtracting position. By this action, the drawrod 17 moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and turns the two-armed lever 14, .15 in a clockwise direction. Through the medium of the link 13, then, the pin 10 ofthe latch 8 is carried out of engagement with the recess 11 in the frame 2 and both the pins 9 and 10 ride along the guide-surface on said frame 2, while at the same time the lower end of the latch 8 rests on the Xed guide block 34. ow, since the distance between the guide face 35 and the guide block 34 is less than the operative length of the latch 8, then necessarily,'the housing 5 which is supported on the frame 2, that the counting wheels 4 are carried out of contact with the settinggears 33, and into the position shown in Fig. 2. It will order to effect the separation of meagga be obvious, that in this manner, the counting mechanism and its settlng devices can be the setting gears 33. It is also to be noted that, within the limits of this invention, it is immaterial Whether it is the setting devices, that is, gears, racks,

or other setting-elements, or the counting mechanism which is moved, in the two sets of mechanism.

What I claim is,

1. A shifting counting mechanism for computing machines, comprising in combination, a set of counting wheels, means for setting said counting wheels mal shifting the counting mechanism'from one computing position to another, and means for radially moving said counting wheels out of their normal engagement with said setting means before the operation of shifting from one computing position to another;

2. A shifting counting mechanism for computing machines, comprising in combination, a set of counting wheels, means for setting said counting wheels having a nor mal engagement with for said counting wheels, means to shift said counting wheels from one computing position to another, and a cam-mechanism for shifting dial to said counting wheels to release the latter from said setting devices during the shift from one computing position to another.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EMIL WILLIAM GREVE.

Witnesses:

F. E. STEGER, W. H. NiioKE.

the setting a the latter, a housing said housing in a direction ra having a norengagement with the latter, means for 

